8 September 2017

Roddy Woomble - The Deluder

Roddy
Woomble is the same age as me (well, about three months younger), something
that I did not know until I was researching for this article. It is the
small details that get your attention sometimes, but sometimes it is one of
those sorts of things that make you pay attention. If you are reading
this article, you will already be aware of Roddy Woomble's previous work.
But on the off chance that you are not, here is a very brief history
lesson: Mr Woomble first came to my attention in the band Idlewild, who
started off as a snot nosed, shouty punk band. Over the years, their
sound changed to a melodic rock sound, something that a lot of people hated,
but which brought them a whole new audience. Apart from his work with Idlewild, he
has also developed a successful solo career, which included an album being released as part of the renowned Bowers & Wilkins audio series. It has lead to an impressive back catalogue, the latest album The Deluder
being released on 31st August 2017. If I am honest, I have not been
keeping up with his solo career (or Idlewild) for a long time, not due to any
specific reasons, there is only so many hours in the day and too much Zappa to
be honest.So, I have been long overdue
catching up with Mr Woomble and why not listen to one of his solo works?At the time of writing, Mr Woomble was in the
middle of a UK tour, playing all over this septic isle and it looks like he
will be busy for the rest of the year. But what of the album? How
does it actually sound?

01 - Look Back by Leaving

The Deluder opens with the slow burning "Look Back by Leaving",
the style of the song is not the type of sound I was expecting if the truth be
told. It is a piano led piece, one that is dramatic without being over
the top. It has a sound that is akin to Nick Cave and other artists of that ilk, people who
use more than a noisy guitar to get their point across. It is a beautifully
tragic song, one that will keep those lost souls company during the dark hours
of the night, one that gains stature with each repeated listen.

02 - To Feel Like a Fool

"To Feel Like a Fool" is a minimalist follow up to "Look Back
by Leaving", a bass heavy piece that is driven more by emotive
reasons, one where the drums are absent and without leave.It is incredibly atmospheric and it does have
a certain charm, but it is another one which the listener has to take their
time with as it is not going to reveal everything within a couple of listens.

03 - Jupiter

A song originally composed for one of his children, “Jupiter” puts me in mind
of the American Alternative rock scene of Pavement, early R.E.M. (sorry, but
their influence is on this one), Cake, which is added to a little bit of Jarvis
Cocker that make this one a strange one. It has that tone where the guitars are
tools to thrill the mind, a sound to create confusion and an indie sensibility
that is sadly missing from a lot of the current scene these days.It is keeping up the strange pacing of this
album, one that has not kept to a single pace and it is a bizarre number.I am not sure how I feel about this one, it
is something of an enigma to me, but I am not disliking it.It is just a little bit too bizarre to
comprehend at this juncture.

04 - A Skull with a Teardrop

Once again, the pace changes and we are back in Bad Seeds territory on this
one.I love the way one progresses, it
is not what I was expecting.It sounds
like a film noir piece, a mysterious song that is so stylish that you need a
sharp suit just to listen to it.It is
the first piece on the album I understood straight away, the first to let me in
and it is one of my favourite songs on this album.

05 - Like Caruso

Roddy Woomble the artist is someone I can truly get behind when he is make
music of this quality, “Like Caruso” is one of the best songs I have heard in
2017 and that is against some stiff competition as well.It is an old school number, with passion at
its core and a beautiful set of lyrics to ignite the heart.Musically, it is so minimalist and it also
feels so full at the same time, it is a contradiction in that way and I love
it.I think it is best if you check out
this song yourself, it is a little gem on this album.

06 - First Love Is Never Returned

With a Talking Heads Post Rock edge, “First
Love Is Never Returned” is a song that laments how things that are offered
are sometimes never reciprocated back and how feelings can be hurt due to the
one-side nature of the relationship.It
is a decent number, one which ends stronger than it starts.To be honest, it is the sort of track which I
enjoy whilst it is on, but I am not in any great hurry to hear it again.But it is not a bad song either, just one
that sort of passes me by.

07 - Remember to Breath

“Remember to Breath” is a minimalist
piece, overburdened with strings and dramatic passages about loved ones and
family.It is a nice piece, very
peaceful with a tranquil feeling, which is interrupted with a bass rumbling
that is approaching Grinderman territory when it is finished.It is a beautiful number, one which is very
easy on the mind and soul.

08 - I'll Meet You by The Memorial

“I’ll Meet You by The Memorial” is
probably the only song on here which does not work for me, but it feels like it
should be something that I would be into.It is a mid-paced indie/post rock number with a gentle soul, it has some
nice pieces in the record and it has all the required elements that should make
a good song.But there is something here
that does not quite work for me, it just sort of lingers in the air and then
departs without making much impression, which is a bit of a shame.

09 - On N'a Plus De Temps

This gentle ballad is a one of the shining lights of the latter part of this
album, a dual language song that drift like a bird floating on the breeze and
it is a subtle number that is wins over your heart each time!I love the subtle noises at the edge of your
hearing on this one, the vocals between Mr Woomble and Hannah Fisher merge
together with ease and the final result is fascinating.

10 - Any Old Kind of World Will Do

The penultimate song of the album is called “Any Old Kind of World Will Do”, one which has a dower manner and
has an old school country feeling to the music.It feels like an old gun-slinger is bemoaning his lot and the world is
ready for the thunder to be unleashed.It never truly explodes, but it rumbles along with a menacing edge to
the music, which is minimal over the best part of the song.It builds up towards the end of the song,
ending on a loud note (at least in comparison to the rest of the album).

11 - Floating on a River

Starting with an A Capella verse, Mr Woomble is focused on the water, how it
moves and comparing it to the world around him.It is sung in a lower register that he seems comfortable with, making it
sound as if he is singing a lullaby late in the night.In keeping with the album, it is a gentle
number that will not grab you immediately, but it does hold a charm that will
eventually win you over.

Overall, The Deluder is a slow burner, an album that is in no rush to
reveal everything about itself and in less of a hurry to get to its eventual
point. You cannot think of this in terms of anything other than the work
of great solo artists such as Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Jarvis Cocker and even
early Elton John. He has made an album that is not a conventual indie
album, it is an old school album that is meant to be absorbed, reflected upon
and then re-consumed as it will change upon each repeated spin of the
record. When I first listened to this album, I was not a fan of it to be
honest. I felt it was too slow and I was expecting something with a
little more fizz. However, I had a hunch there was something else to this
record, something that was to be unearthed, thankfully I was right. Roddy
Woomble has created an artistic statement on this record, it feels like it is a
record that will find its audience later as it is not an immediate album, it is
like a lover who wants to seduce you slowly. If there is an issue overall
after repeated listens, it is the pacing of the record is a little off in
places and a few moments of pretentious style, but these is a minor things overall and what artists do not have that side to their work?The Deluder is an album that
will take a bit of time to settle, but it is truly worth the effort.

Welcome to the final round-up review of 2017! Similar to the Round-Up posts I put up earlier in the year, I’m going to be posting some bull...

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Album scoring system

0 - This is proof there is no deity1 - You're really are touching the bottom of the barrel with this one2 - If only there was some quality control3 - It could have been a bit better4 - Well it's alright, but still......5 -Not for everyone but played well6 - Now I see where you were going, but it's not quite there7 - This is good and well worth a check8 - Oh, now you have my attention and maybe my money, time and heart9 - Almost perfect....Almost10 - This is proof there is a deity(For albums that are too crazy to be marked)Crazy Cat symbol - This album cannot be marked, so here is a box of kittens

Singles/EP Marking System

0 - Only to be listened to by people bless with the gift of being deaf1 - Not so much on the bad that it is bottom of the barrel, but it can see the stuff down there2 - Not bad, not good - so average it is Zen3 - Decent, getting there4 - This is really good, well worth checking out5 - I wish I had extra ears to love this more(For Singles/EPs that are too crazy to mark)Crazy Cat symbol - This release cannot be marked, so here is a box of kittens